New Jersey has 8 CSWE-accredited MSW programs concentrated in the densely populated northeastern corridor of the state and extending to the southern shore and the Philadelphia-adjacent Camden region. Rutgers School of Social Work dominates the state ranking both by longevity (CSWE accreditation since 1957) and by national recognition (#12, U.S. News), and is the only New Jersey MSW program with a national ranking. Its six-site network spanning New Brunswick, Camden, Newark, Bordentown, Mays Landing, and Jersey City makes it the most geographically accessible program in the state.
New Jersey's MSW landscape reflects the state's unique geographic position between two major metropolitan areas: most programs are clustered in or near the New York City metro corridor (Union, West Long Branch, Mahwah, South Orange, Montclair), while Rutgers' Camden site and Stockton University's Atlantic City campus serve the Philadelphia-adjacent south. This positioning gives New Jersey MSW graduates access to some of the deepest social work labor markets in the country, including major healthcare systems, public sector agencies, and nonprofit organizations in both the New York and Philadelphia metro areas.
New Jersey's licensing structure uses an unusual naming convention: the bachelor's-level credential is the CSW (Certified Social Worker), while the master's-level non-clinical credential is the LSW (Licensed Social Worker). In most other states, these labels are reversed or use different terms (LBSW for bachelor's, LMSW for master's). Prospective students coming from other states should be aware of this distinction when researching licensure portability.
Which MSW programs in New Jersey are CSWE-accredited?
Every CSWE-accredited MSW program in the state is listed here, scored on the same seven-factor model used in the national ranking. All data sourced from the CSWE accreditation directory and official program pages (.edu). Accreditation years are Initial Accreditation Dates from the CSWE directory. Rutgers ranking (#12 nationally) confirmed from the school's official website. Monmouth's 54-credit curriculum is below the standard 60 credits used by most programs. Ramapo requires 1,000 field hours vs. the 900-hour standard. Montclair State's online track requires New Jersey residency.
- #1 National #12
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Social Work
New Brunswick, NJ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1957
9.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingRutgers School of Social Work is the oldest MSW program in New Jersey by 41 years, accredited since 1957, and is ranked 12th nationally by U.S. News and World Report, the only nationally ranked program in the state. Two advanced specializations are offered: Clinical Social Work and Management and Policy. Five dual-degree programs are available: MSW with Law (JD), Criminal Justice (MA), Public Health (MPH), Public Policy (MPP), and Pastoral Studies, the deepest dual-degree portfolio of any New Jersey MSW program. The school operates from six physical sites across the state: New Brunswick (1957), Camden (1957), Newark (1957), Bordentown (2006), Mays Landing (2008), and Jersey City (2013), plus online delivery since 2018. The geographic reach of Rutgers' campus network is unmatched in New Jersey, providing access from the Philadelphia suburbs through the central Jersey corridor to the New York City metro. Over 250 faculty and 1,000+ practicum learning sites are affiliated with the program. Advanced Standing is available.
Public (Rutgers University, R1 flagship). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey School of Social Work - #2
Monmouth University School of Social Work
West Long Branch, NJ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2000
7.5
54 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingMonmouth University's School of Social Work offers two concentrations: Clinical Practice with Families and Children and Global and Community Practice. The Global and Community Practice concentration is nationally distinctive, preparing graduates for assessment, planning, intervention, and evaluation at the community, organizational, and international levels, a practice focus uncommon among New Jersey programs. Monmouth is a Coverdell Peace Corps Fellows host program, providing subsidized MSW enrollment for returning Peace Corps volunteers. The program requires 54 credit hours, below the standard 60 required by most programs; students should confirm field hour requirements directly with the program. Online delivery is available alongside the West Long Branch campus option. Advanced Standing is available. Monmouth University is a private university in West Long Branch in Monmouth County on the New Jersey Shore, in the New York metropolitan commuter belt.
Private (Monmouth University). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Monmouth University School of Social Work - #3
Kean University Department of Graduate Social Work
Union, NJ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 1998
7.2
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingKean University's Department of Graduate Social Work is the second-oldest MSW program in New Jersey after Rutgers, accredited since 1998. A Clinical or Direct Practice concentration is offered, with the curriculum emphasizing evidence-based clinical skills for practice with individuals, families, and groups. Online delivery has been available since 2019. Advanced Standing is available. Kean is recognized as one of the most ethnically diverse universities in the United States, and the program's student body reflects the diversity of the Union County and Newark metropolitan area. Kean University is a public institution in Union, in Union County, in the dense northeast New Jersey corridor adjacent to the New York City metropolitan labor market. Union County and the surrounding Essex County (Newark) area constitute one of the largest social work employment markets in New Jersey.
Public (Kean University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Kean University Department of Graduate Social Work - #4
Stockton University School of Social Work
Atlantic City, NJ · On-Campus (Hybrid) · CSWE-accredited since 2009
6.8
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingStockton University's School of Social Work operates from the Atlantic City campus in a hybrid format, with classes held Monday and Wednesday evenings. A Social Justice concentration is the program's singular focus, preparing graduates to work with marginalized populations using an anti-racist, anti-oppression, and social, economic, racial, and environmental justice framework. This Social Justice concentration is uncommon among New Jersey MSW programs and positions graduates for advocacy, policy, and direct practice in underserved communities. Advanced Standing is available at 30 credit hours for CSWE-accredited BSW holders (one year full-time or two years part-time). No fully online delivery is offered; the program operates in hybrid modality with in-person evening classes. Stockton University is a public liberal arts university based in Galloway Township with a campus presence in Atlantic City, the primary city in Atlantic County and one of the most economically disadvantaged urban areas in New Jersey. The Atlantic City location provides practicum access to underserved coastal New Jersey communities.
Public (Stockton University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Stockton University School of Social Work - #5
Seton Hall University College of Human Development, Culture, and Media
South Orange, NJ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2015
6.5
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingSeton Hall University's MSW offers two concentrations: Behavioral Health and Forensic Social Work. Seton Hall describes its Forensic Social Work program as the only graduate forensic social work program in New Jersey, preparing students for practice at the intersection of social work and the legal and criminal justice systems, including courts, corrections, victim services, and child welfare proceedings. The Behavioral Health concentration focuses on mental health and addiction recovery. A licensure preparation seminar is included in the curriculum. Online delivery has been available since initial accreditation in 2015. Advanced Standing is available. Seton Hall is a private Catholic university in South Orange in Essex County. The program is well-positioned for the Essex County, Newark, and broader northeastern New Jersey social work labor market. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory.
Private (Seton Hall University, Catholic). Contact the program for current tuition rates and financial aid information.
Seton Hall University College of Human Development, Culture, and Media - #6
Ramapo College of New Jersey Department of Social Work
Mahwah, NJ · On-Campus (Hybrid) · CSWE-accredited since 2015
6.2
60 credits 1,000 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingRamapo College of New Jersey's Department of Social Work offers an Advanced Generalist practice model across all program tracks. The program requires 1,000 field hours for the full-time and part-time tracks, above the 900-hour standard required by most New Jersey programs, providing expanded practicum depth. Advanced Standing is available at 30 credits and approximately 500 field hours. The program is delivered in a hybrid format from the Mahwah campus. Ramapo College is a public liberal arts college in Mahwah in Bergen County, in northern New Jersey adjacent to the New York State border and within the greater New York City metropolitan area. Bergen County is one of the most densely populated and affluent counties in New Jersey, with significant social work employment in healthcare, schools, and behavioral health systems. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory.
Public (Ramapo College of New Jersey). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Ramapo College of New Jersey Department of Social Work - #7
Montclair State University Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy
Montclair, NJ · On-Campus or Online · CSWE-accredited since 2018
5.9
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingMontclair State University's Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy offers two concentrations: Children, Youth and Families and Clinical Practice. The Children, Youth and Families concentration prepares graduates for clinical and advocacy work with vulnerable children, adolescents, and families across mental health, school, child welfare, and community settings. An online track was added in 2025. Advanced Standing is available at 33 credit hours. The online track requires New Jersey residency for enrollment. The program uses a cohort-based model. In-person practicums are required in years two and three regardless of delivery format. Montclair State University is a public research university in Montclair in Essex County, in the densely populated northeastern New Jersey corridor. No dual-degree programs are listed in the CSWE directory.
Public (Montclair State University). Contact the program for current in-state and out-of-state tuition rates.
Montclair State University Department of Social Work and Child Advocacy - #8
Fairleigh Dickinson University Department of Social Work
Online, NJ · Online · CSWE-accredited since 2020
5.4
60 credits 900 field hours ✓ Advanced StandingFairleigh Dickinson University's Department of Social Work has operated fully online in an asynchronous format since initial accreditation. An Advanced Generalist practice model is offered. The standard track requires 60 credit hours and 900 practicum hours; the Advanced Standing track requires 30 credit hours and 500 practicum hours. Courses are asynchronous, allowing students to complete work on their own schedule. Students work with a practicum coordinator to secure field placements locally in their home communities, in settings including hospitals, schools, mental health agencies, and criminal justice organizations. Fairleigh Dickinson University is a private university with campuses in Teaneck and Florham Park, New Jersey, though the MSW program is delivered entirely online. The fully online, asynchronous format makes FDU's MSW accessible to students across New Jersey and beyond who require maximum scheduling flexibility.
Private (Fairleigh Dickinson University). Contact the program for current tuition rates.
Fairleigh Dickinson University Department of Social Work
How long does an MSW take in New Jersey, and what does it cost?
An MSW in New Jersey takes two years of full-time study, and what it costs turns mostly on whether the program is public or private. The Master of Social Work here is built on 54 to 60 credits and 900 to 1,000 hours of supervised field placement. Every one runs an Advanced Standing track, which finishes the degree in about a year for BSW holders. 5 sit at public universities and 3 at private ones, which is usually the largest single difference in what you will pay. Each card links to the program's own tuition page. The field-hour rules that apply everywhere are set out in our guide to CSWE accreditation.
What is the job market like for MSW graduates in New Jersey?
New Jersey's job market for MSW graduates is anchored by its proximity to New York City and Philadelphia, two of the largest metropolitan economies in the country. RWJBarnabas Health, the state's largest health system with hospitals across northern, central, and southern New Jersey, is a major employer of healthcare and medical social workers. Hackensack Meridian Health, Atlantic Health System, and Virtua Health round out the major healthcare social work employers. New Jersey's Department of Children and Families (DCF) operates child protective services and family support programs statewide and is a primary public-sector employer for MSW graduates.
The northeastern New Jersey corridor, which includes Essex County (Newark), Hudson County (Jersey City), Union County, and Bergen County, functions as an extension of the New York City social work labor market. Social workers with MSW degrees from programs in this corridor can access positions in New York City's hospital systems, behavioral health organizations, and city agencies while maintaining New Jersey licensure through reciprocity agreements. New Jersey's high cost of living is offset by correspondingly higher social work wages: healthcare social workers in New Jersey earn among the highest median wages in the country.
Southern New Jersey, including Atlantic City, Camden, and the Shore communities, has distinct workforce dynamics. Atlantic City and the surrounding Atlantic County communities face concentrated poverty and high demand for social workers in behavioral health, housing instability, and family services. Camden, one of the poorest cities in the United States, has significant nonprofit, healthcare, and child welfare social work employment. Rutgers' Camden site and Stockton University's Atlantic City campus are specifically positioned to serve these southern New Jersey labor markets.
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, New Jersey; NJ Division of Consumer Affairs, State Board of Social Work Examiners.
Which cities in New Jersey have CSWE-accredited MSW programs?
Atlantic City, Bordentown, Camden, Jersey City, Mahwah and Mays Landing and other cities have CSWE-accredited MSW programs in New Jersey, 12 cities in total across the state's 8 accredited programs, according to the approved teaching locations each records with CSWE.
Location matters more for an MSW than for most master's degrees, because the 900 hours of field education have to happen at an agency that will take you, and programs place students through partnerships built up near their campuses. Studying near where you intend to practice tends to mean placement in the network you will later job-hunt in. Six programs in New Jersey also offer online coursework, which widens the choice for students outside those cities.
Which MSW programs in New Jersey offer a dual degree?
One MSW program in New Jersey offers a dual degree: Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (Criminal Justice and Law). Each is recorded in the CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs.
A dual degree takes longer than an MSW alone but less time than the two degrees taken separately, because a block of credits counts toward both. They suit a specific plan rather than general ambition: a JD pairs with policy, child welfare and forensic practice, an MPH with hospital and public health settings, an MBA with nonprofit management. If you do not have that plan yet, the standard MSW leaves the option open.
How did we rank these New Jersey MSW programs?
We ranked these New Jersey MSW programs on the same seven-factor model used in the national ranking, applied identically to every accredited program in the state. The state ranking uses identical criteria and weights. No New Jersey-specific adjustments are made. Programs are ordered by composite score. For the full methodology, see our ranking methodology page.
Accreditation is 25% of the score because it is the only pass-or-fail factor here: New Jersey licenses no graduate of an unaccredited program. Accredited programs in New Jersey run from one holding that status since 1957 to one accredited as recently as 2020, and a longer record means more reaffirmation cycles survived.
Weights: CSWE accreditation 25%, program leadership 15%, pathways 15%, delivery format 15%, employer signal 15%, cost 10%, reputation 5%. Each factor is defined in full on our ranking methodology page.
How do you become a licensed social worker in New Jersey?
You become a licensed social worker in New Jersey by completing a CSWE-accredited MSW, passing the ASWB examination at the level your license requires, and, for a clinical license, logging supervised hours afterwards. Licensing here is administered by the New Jersey social work licensing board. New Jersey offers more than one route to licensure, pick the branch that matches the kind of practice you want. License names, exams, and supervised-hour requirements come from the ASWB Social Work Regulatory Database.
Master's social work license route in NJ
MSW → LSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Pass the ASWB Masters exam and apply for the LSW (Licensed Social Worker).
Clinical social work license route in NJ
MSW → LCSW
- 1
Earn a CSWE-accredited MSW.
- 2
Complete 3,000 hours of supervised practice over 2 to 4 years and pass the ASWB Clinical exam, then apply for the LCSW (Licensed Clinical Social Worker), which authorizes independent clinical practice and clinical diagnosis.
New Jersey social work licenses at a glance
Master's license
Licensed Social Worker
Clinical license
Licensed Clinical Social Worker
Source: Association of Social Work Boards (ASWB) Social Work Regulatory Database, 2026. License requirements change, so always confirm current rules with the New Jersey licensing board before applying.
Common questions about MSW programs in New Jersey
Common questions about MSW programs in New Jersey, on accreditation, cost, format and licensure.
How many CSWE-accredited MSW programs are in New Jersey?
What do social workers earn in New Jersey?
What are the social work licensing requirements in New Jersey?
Is Rutgers School of Social Work really ranked #12 nationally?
Which New Jersey MSW programs offer forensic or specialized concentrations?
Which New Jersey cities have MSW programs?
Find CSWE-accredited programs in and near specific New Jersey cities, with nearby campuses, online options, and local salary and job-market data.
Where does the data on this page come from?
The data on this page comes from the sources below, and from nothing else: no commercial directories, no other ranking sites.
- CSWE Directory of Accredited Programs covers which New Jersey programs hold accreditation, the year each was first accredited, approved campus locations, concentrations, dual degrees and plan-of-study options.
- Individual program pages (.edu) supply curriculum detail, field-hour requirements, delivery format and cohort scheduling. Each program card links to the page it was written from.
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, New Jersey supplies the employment and wage figures in the job-market section, May 2025 release.
- ASWB Social Work Laws and Regulations Database supplies license names, examination levels and supervised-hour requirements, read 2026.
- Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education supplies the research classification used in the ranking model.
What are the best MSW programs near New Jersey?
The best MSW programs near New Jersey are in the neighboring states below, all CSWE-accredited. Licensure is state by state, so check a program across the border against the rules where you intend to practice.